Silas's birthday party

Here is a picture from Silas (the kid in the front)'s birthday party yesterday. It was at a martial arts studio, and Adora had fun even though she didn't really know what was going on. She also came home with a sword. . . . Prior to this party, she didn't know what a sword was. I had fun explaining that one!

Adora crying

I felt like posting a video of Adora--here is one of her from July crying. She was just throwing a fit because she didn't get her way about something. We took it so we could show it to her so she could see how she looks when she is throwing a fit.

Baby Bet!

Want to guess about the baby?

Album 09/30/2010, by Melanie Hostetler

I'd like to share my Walgreens Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

Adora's artwork

Daddy drew the head & neck--Adora drew the rest.

"Look like fat"

I had to share this pregnancy experience. Everyone seems to think it's ok to tell pregnant women that they look as if they're about to pop, or they look as if they swallowed a basketball. I assume everyone thinks it's ok to tell pregnant women this because everyone thinks it's ok to tell me these things (or to say them to Jake about me), and I am still weeks from being full-term and have gained only minimal weight. Anyway, I was wearing a bikini at the waterpark Monday, and a little boy (about 4-years-old) slid down a slide and started staring at my belly.
Boy: You have a baby?
Me: Yes, I do! I have a baby in my tummy.
He came up and touched my belly.
Boy: Look like fat!

In all reality, I don't care if kids say stuff like that because. . . well, they're kids. It's pretty hilarious. But grownups should know better, don't you think? No one likes being told they're huge by someone who should know better, even if they really are about to "pop", whatever that means. I didn't walk up to all the obese people at the waterpark and tell them they looked like they were about to pop or they looked like they swallowed three basketballs. That would just be plain rude.

First Day of Preschool

Adora's first day of preschool was today! They actually use a preschool curriculum (Little Saints), so I am calling it preschool--it's actually called Jump Start. She was so excited to go, especially since she got to wear her pink backpack and go play with friends at church.

The first two pictures are of her soon after she woke up--Jake had to go to work before we got out of jammies. The next picture is of me with her at school. The next is of her wearing her backpack, and the last is of her with her teachers, Ms. Hailey and Ms. Heather.

Jake is working on his masters and needs the computer to write a paper, so that is all for now!

Maternity Pictures

My friend, Brittany, is a great up and coming photographer. She actually doesn't do any professional work at all--but she should, and she will someday if she wants to. I was able to convince her to take some photos of us before she moves in a week or two, and she was amazing about editing them and getting them back to us within days. We are really excited--they turned out great! Here are a few she took:

I also realized today that my 2.5-year-old has been in gymnastics a year now--that's 40% of her life, haha. She only goes once a week, and it's more fun than learning, but I was thinking of some of the things that she can do now by herself that she couldn't do when she started--donkey kicks (handstands), reaching for and swinging on the bar, putting her feet on the bar, jumping, walking on the low beam, front rolls, straddle rolls, and a front support on the bar. She loves gymnastics so much that I am going to try to keep taking her to a class when I stop teaching in October.

I should've been cleaning my house this whole time--or napping--I will regret both later! But I wanted to share these first.

Summer activities

Here is a video of Adora's first swimming class. Daddy was off work for the Monday after July 4, so he got to take her. I was so tired of swimming by the end of the 2-week session (4 days a week)!